Diabetic people are likely to experience complications with their eyes. Diabetic eye problems occur for a couple of different reasons. Eye-related complications are a result of the damage diabetes does to the rest of the body. As a result, the eyes can be affected. There are a group of diabetic eye problems that can result, and these conditions are commonly referred to as diabetic eye disease. All can result in vision loss and even total blindness. The three most common diabetic eye problems are diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy is among the most common diabetic eye problems. It occurs when damage to the retina’s blood vessels takes place. Diabetes can damage blood vessels throughout the body, and the eyes are no exception. When the blood vessels in the retina experience damage, they become fragile, allowing blood to leak into the center of the eye. This is the point where damage can become very serious. Diabetic retinopathy comes on in four stages, and the earliest stages often present no symptoms. This is why it is essential for a diabetic person to have an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early. The sooner these issues are found, the better chances they can be dealt with effectively. During the first three stages of diabetic retinopathy, treatment is usually not necessary. However, a person must control their blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Another one of the common diabetic eye problems is the development of cataracts. Cataracts cause the eye’s lens to become cloudy or foggy. A person who has diabetes is more likely to develop a cataract than someone who does not have the disease. When a cataract presents itself, eyes are not able to focus light, which impairs normal vision. Surgical procedures can be done that remove cataracts.
Glaucoma, another one of the common diabetic eye problems, is sometimes called a silent condition, because symptoms often do not present themselves until the disease is very advanced. Laser procedures, medication, eye drops and surgery are often used to treat glaucoma. In states that allow medical marijuana use, doctors can prescribe the herb to treat glaucoma.
Identifying Diabetic Eye Problems Symptoms
Being able to identify diabetic eye problems symptoms greatly increases the chance that a person will reduce their risk of experiencing blindness as a result of the disease. In many cases, symptoms are not obvious until the later stages. With diabetic retinopathy, the two most common symptoms are blurred vision and spots or lines in the field of vision. Like retinopathy, blurred vision is a symptom associated with cataracts. Glared vision may also occur. Glaucoma has the most symptoms when it comes to diabetic eye problems. Loss of vision or visual field is one of the most common diabetic eye problems symptoms associated with glaucoma. Headaches, pain and aches in the eyes, the appearance of halos around lights, blurred vision and watering eyes are other signs that a person may have glaucoma. If any of the above diabetic eye problems symptoms are experienced, medical attention should be immediately sought.
